Benjamin Bogulavsky was born on Dec. 7, 1922 in Ottawa, Canada to Aryeh and Devorah. A product of HaShomer HaTzair in Ottawa, he and his family made aliyah in January 1948. He had previously served in the U.S. navy and in the soon-to-be declared state he joined the Palmach.
While vainly trying to reach the besieged Etzion Bloc to bring aid to the community, his entire squad was wiped out after being discovered by an Arab shepherd on Jan. 16, 1948. That unit posthumously became known as the 'Lamed Hei', for the 35 who died. The Thirty-Five bravely defended themselves against the fierce attacks of hundreds of Arabs from neighboring villages. Toward evening on January 16, the supply of ammunition which the Thirty-Five carried began to run out. The battle ended with the death of the last of the Thirty-Five who, having used up all their ammunition, died defending themselves with rocks in their hands. After the battle, many of the bodies were mutilated by the Arabs beyond recognition.
Knowing the dangers of his mission, Benjamin left a note to his wife and small child: 'Do not cry for me if I do not return but continue the struggle for the survival of the Jewish state.' He was a genuine Zionist and idealist.
